The JDM-only special edition harkens back to the last days of the AE86.
It was back in January 1986 when Toyota unveiled the AE86 Black Limited as a last hurrah for the affordable sports car many of us fell in love with by watching Initial D. Based on the range-topping GT-Apex trim, the special edition was offered exclusively in a three-door hatchback layout with a black exterior and gold wheels complemented by a pinstripe finished in the same shade.
Toyota decided to celebrate the AE86 Black Limited earlier this year when it introduced the 86 Black Limited Concept at the 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon in January. However, the car flew under the radar mostly because the rally-derived GR Yaris got all the attention at the show in Japan, but the concept has now evolved into a production model.
Much like the Black Edition from days gone by, the new limited-run Toyota 86 lives up to its moniker by being offered exclusively in black. It has 17-inch bronze wheels with ventilated Brembo brakes, a trunk lid spoiler for added downforce, along with SACHS shock absorbers to improve ride comfort and stability. Toyota has also tweaked the vehicle’s underbody to improve airflow and will optionally apply a bronze pinstripe as a visual nod to the AE86 Black Edition.
Shown here with a dealer-installed navigation system, the interior complements the body finish with a predominantly black look with subtle bronze accents for the Black Limited logo on the dashboard. The perforated front seats come wrapped in a combination of leather and Alcantara, while a suede-like artificial leather has been applied onto the dashboard.
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Even more exclusive than its source of inspiration that was limited to 400 cars, the Toyota 86 Black Edition will be capped at only 86 cars, with production split evenly between manual and automatic models. Available to order starting today, the three-pedal version costs 3,518,000 yen (about $34,000 at current exchange rates) while the two-pedal model retails for 3,586,000 yen ($34,600).
With the AE86 Black Edition representing the model’s swan song, we can’t help but wonder whether it’s the same case with its modern-day equivalent. A second-generation 86 has been confirmed as another Toyota-Subaru joint effort, and an insider recently told us it will debut in July 2021 for the 2022MY in the United States. Rumor has it the car will be renamed “GR 86” and will boast a turbocharged engine with 255 horsepower along with an upgraded interior with better materials.
